ADVISORY COMMITTEE: SCIENCE
[ --------- Division 40 ----------- ]
Update from the Science Advisory Committee

February 2008

The Science Advisory Committee (SAC) facilitates the scientific mission of Division 40 by communicating and promoting the integration of scientific goals within the Division, within APA, and across professions.  Specific goals of the SAC include promoting the study and application of knowledge regarding brain-behavior relationships, advocating for the recognition of D40 as a science division of APA, recognizing and encouraging student research in neuropsychology, and addressing scientific issues raised by the membership.

Committee Membership: Lucas (Chair), Aloia, Barr, Brickman, Butters, Byrd, Ferman, Flashman, Forrest, Hart, Hopkins, Kozora, Loring (Awards Subcommittee Chair), Machulda, Paul, Pedraza, Rilling, Welsh-Bohmer.

  1. Database Project.  A Science Membership Database is being created to more efficiently identify Div40 members to serve on APA committees, work groups, etc.  A demo mock-up of the interface and functionality of the database was reviewed in Fall 2007, and the developer submitted a bid of to create the database.  Funding for this project was approved.  Beta-testing is scheduled for March 2008.

  2. Transdisciplinary (TD) Research Subcommittee Activities.  The TD subcommittee (Kozora [chair], Aloia, Butters, Hart, Hopkins, Machulda, Paul) is charged with gathering resources for D40 members who are interested in cross-cutting research.  Previous activities have included open meetings and symposia at INS and APA.  At the 2008 meeting of INS, the TD subcommittee presented an Invited Symposium entitled: “Transdisciplinary Research Strategies for Neuropsychology”.  Discussions are currently underway for student mentoring activities in transdisciplinary research for future APA conventions.

  3. NIH Reviewer List.  The SAC responded to a request from the APA Science Directorate for names of potential peer reviewers for NIH study sections.  After posting announcements across neuropsychology listservs, a list of 12 self-nominated Div40 members was compiled and forwarded to Pat Kobor.

  4. Board of Scientific Affairs (BSA) Meeting.  Dr. Forrest continues to serve as the SAC liaison to the Spring and Fall meetings of the BSA.   Issues potentially affecting Div40 include:
    • Support for psychology students pursuing science careers.  APA is interested in developing a new program to support advance graduate students in science at the convention.  Dr. Forrest would like explore ways for Div40’s proposed grants program (see #4, below) to support this initiative so as to raise the division’s profile with the Science Directorate.
    • Re-engaging Scientists at the APA Convention.  Initiatives are being discussed that would make APA and the convention more attractive to scientists, including changes to convention programming, timing of the program, and a changes to the APA dues structure.  Dr. Forrest will represent Div40 as a liaison/observer at the meeting of the Task Force on Recommending Changes to the APA Convention That Would Appeal to Scientists on September 15-16, 2007 in Washington, DC at the APA headquarters building.  There will be no expense to the Division for Dr. Forrest’s attendance.
    • A Statement on Observers and Third Parties in Psychological Testing and Assessment was approved and will be sent to Council for final approval.

  5. ACRM Taxonomy Initiative.  This initiative was postponed, with no new date set at this time.  The EC previously voted to support a request from the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine for a Div40 delegate, identified by the SAC, to attend a conference on developing a taxonomy of rehabilitation interventions.  Support in the form of airfare and two-night’s hotel reimbursement for the delegate was approved.  Approval to carry over funds to 2008 was granted at the 8/07 EC meeting.

  6. Conference on Evidence-Based Practice with Ethnic Minorities.  The SAC recommended Dr. Jennifer Manly as Div40 representative at this conference (organized by Divs 45, 17, 42, 12, and 37) on March 13-14, 2008.  Funding for Dr. Manly’s travel and accommodations has been approved by the EC and will not be charged to the SAC budget.

  7. FDA Roundtable.   Div40 SAC is sponsoring a Roundtable Discussion on the role of neuropsychological assessment in clinical trials on Feb 9-10, 2008, after the conclusion of the INS meeting.  This event is organized and chaired by Dr. Ronald Lazar.  The SAC has assisted with meeting logistics and participant selection.  Proceedings of the meeting will be prepared for publication.

  8. Awards Subcommittee (Dr. David Loring, Chair). 
    • Early Career Scientific Development Research and Student Travel Awards.  A total of 19 applications were received in response to RFAs for the new Div40 Research and Student Travel Grants. Two research and two student travel awards were granted.  Winners have been notified and include:
      1. Brianne Bettcher, Temple University, Grant Title:  Empirically-based interventions for error monitoring deficits in dementia
      2. Jessica Chapin, Cleveland Clinic, Grant Title: Functional significance of fMRI memory reorganization in patients with medically-intractable temporal lobe epilepsy 
      3. Heidi Bender, NYU (Student Travel Award)
      4. John Den Boer, postdoc, Barrow Institute   
    •  Blue Ribbon Awards (APA 2007, determined by Program Committee)
      1. Mullins, W.A., & Sunita, P.K.  Cognitive Differences Between Supratentorial and Infratentorial Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors.  (Student winner).
      2. Schinka, J.A., & Brown, L.M.  Florida Cognition Scale I: Development and Initial Validation
      3. Vannorsdall, T.D., Rao, V., & Schretlen, D.J.  Cerebral White Matter Atrophy and Cognitive Dysfunction Following TBI
      4. Bowler, R.M., Nakagawa, S., Drezgic, M., & Diamond, E.  Neuropsychological and Neurological Function in Confined-Space Bridge Welders
    • SAC Awards. (APA 2007, determined by Awards Committee)
      1. SAC Award for excellence in cognitive neuroscience research:  Casey Hoffmann “Auditory and Confrontation Naming Following Dominant Hemisphere Temporal Lobectomy”
      2. SAC Award for excellence in applied neuropsychological research:  Glenn Mesman “Memory Performance in Children with ADHD or a SLD-R”
    • Harcourt Awards.  (APA 2007, determined by Awards Committee)
      1. Esther Misdraji:  “Language and Cultural Influences on a Confrontation Naming Task”
      2. Alycia Barlow:   “Exploring Racial Response Bias on the Wechsler Memory Sclale-III Faces Subtest.”
    • 2007 Robert A. and Phyllis Levitt Early Career Award Recipient:
      1. 2007 Winner:  Maria Schultheis, Ph.D.
      2. 2008 Winner: Steven Paul Woods, Ph.D.
    • 2007 Benton-Meirer Scholarships:
      1.  Utaka Springer, University of Florida
      2. Bonnie Sachs, University of Florida

  9. New Graduate Student Research Award.  Div40 is assisting Div20 in administrating a new award for graduate student research.  The Walter G. McMillen Award for PD Research will fund up to $1000 of direct costs for graduate student research on any aspect of Parkinson’s disease.  Application information is available on the Division 40 or Division 20 website.  Deadline for applications is May 1, 2008.